1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with a housing, terminal fittings in the housing and a terminal retainer for holding the terminal fittings in the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-40994 discloses a connector with a housing and a plurality of terminal fittings inserted side by side into the housing from behind. A terminal retainer can be mounted in the housing to engage with the terminal fittings and to prevent the terminal fittings from coming out of the housing. The terminal retainer is held in the housing by two locking means that are laterally spaced apart, but that are in the same position with respect to the insertion direction of the terminal fittings. Thus, an external force that acts in a direction to withdraw the terminal fittings from the housing also acts on the terminal retainer. As a result, the terminal retainer may be inclined with respect to the insertion and withdrawal directions of the terminal fittings about the locking position of the locking means.
In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the orientation of a terminal retainer mounted into a housing.
The invention is directed to a connector that comprises a housing with opposite front and rear ends, a top, a bottom and opposite sides. At least one side-by-side array of cavities extends through the connector housing from the front end to the rear end. The connector further comprises terminal fittings that preferably are inserted into the cavities in a rear-to-front direction. A terminal retainer is mountable in the housing to prevent the terminal fittings from coming out of the housing. At least two locking means are provided to lock the terminal retainer in the housing. The locking means are at different positions relative to the front and rear ends of the housing. As a result, the orientation of the terminal retainer is not inclined with respect to the front and rear ends even if a forward or rearward external force acts on the terminal retainer.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the two locking means are disposed respectively on forward and rearward sides of an engaging position of the terminal retainer with the terminal fittings. As a result, the terminal retainer will not incline when an external force acts on the terminal fittings in the insertion or withdrawal direction of the terminal fittings.
The locking means preferably comprises a pair of partial locking means for holding the terminal retainer in a partial locking position that permits insertion of the terminal fittings into the housing and withdrawal of the terminal fittings from the housing. The locking means preferably further comprises a pair of full locking means for holding the terminal retainer in a full locking position where the terminal retainer engages the terminal fittings to prevent the terminal fittings from coming out of the housing. The partial locking means at one lateral side preferably is more forward than the full locking means with respect to the insertion direction. However, the partial locking means at the other side is more backward than the full locking means with respect to the insertion direction. The spacing of the partial and full locking means in the insertion and withdrawal directions of the terminal fittings, avoids interference between the partial and full locking means in arranging the respective locking means and provides a higher degree of design freedom.
The terminal retainer preferably comprises a terminal lock provided in such a position that a distance from an inner surface of the housing and/or of a front stop wall of the retainer to a front surface of the terminal lock is substantially equal to an entire length of a connecting portion of the terminal fitting.
The partial lock and/or the full lock may comprise a pair of locking projections on one of the retainer and the housing and a locking hole on the other of the retainer and the housing. The locking projections cooperate with the locking hole in the partial and/or full locking position of the retainer. The locking hole preferably is oblong along an insertion and withdrawal direction of the retainer in and from the female housing. As a result, a partial locking projection is engageable with a bottom edge of the corresponding locking hole when the terminal retainer is in its partial locking position, while the partial locking projection is at an intermediate position of the locking hole when the terminal retainer is in its full locking position. Additionally, or alternatively, a full locking projection is engageable with a stepped portion below a bottom end of the opening edge of the corresponding locking hole when the terminal retainer is in the partial locking position while the partial locking projection is locked in the locking hole when the terminal retainer is in its full locking position.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the housing comprises at least one lock arm resiliently engageable with a mating connector for locking the connector with the mating connector. The lock arm comprises a locking projection with at least one shake-preventing portion for contacting a portion of the mating connector to avoiding shaking of the connectors. Preferably, the shake preventing portions comprise slanted surfaces.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.